ESRB Goes Easy On Record Of Agarest War Zero

Aksys has been promoting Record of Agarest War Zero differently from Record of Agarest War. We haven’t seen any pixilated trailers… yet. If someone just learned about Record of Agarest Zero today they may think is a run of the mill fantasy story.

Record of Agarest War Zero still has bits of innuendo and the ESRB makes note of the boob jokes and skimpy costumes.

This is a fantasy role-playing game in which players control a hero and his troops through a span of two generations. Players explore towns, travel along map points, and fight humans and creatures in turn-based battle. Combat consists of small characters standing in place as players select weapons and attacks (Trick Hit, Black Mist, Shadow Burn, etc.) from a menu screen; damage is indicated by various slashing sounds, light effects, and floating hit points rising above characters’ heads. The game depicts several female characters whose breasts/buttocks are partially obscured by towels, hot-spring mist, blankets, and skimpy costumes. These still-frame images also depict female characters holding each other provocatively or engaging in suggestive/sexual dialogue (e.g., ‘I’ll teach you how to please a man’ and ‘[W]hy are you touching me?!’/’Not . . . there . . . Ooooohhh! Please, go easy on me!’). In one extended sequence, female characters in a hot spring compare each others’ bust sizes (e.g.,’She is a grown woman now,’ ‘Such courage, to so brazenly flout the laws of gravity’ and ‘Yours are just as large, Mimel!’). During the course of the game, characters make several references to alcohol (e.g., ‘She shall make an excellent drinking partner,’ ‘We might drink hot buttered rum,’ and ‘Barkeep, bring us some more fresh ale!’). Language such as ‘bastard’ and ‘damn’ can be heard in dialogue

Just like Record of Agarest War before it Record of Agarest War Zero is rated "T" for teen. So, there won’t be anything like "purging" in this title. Record of Agarest War Zero will be released in stores on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on June 14.

Anyway, I still need to get through the first game. Or I will just buy this one on day 1 too (limited edition, June is so pricey for me…). Hopefully someone makes as robust an online wiki as they did for the first one for this second one. June is swiftly upon us.

Actually, I think CERO is just getting stricter. I don’t know if you’ve played Ys Seven, but if so… did you know it actually received a CERO C in Japan? CERO C is well beyond what an ESRB T rating entails, and Ys Seven… is not an especially violent or sexual game! The other PSP Ys titles are much more violent overall, yet they all got lower ratings (CERO A-B).

CERO is a real mystery to me. One of these days, I’d love to work with them, and find out how they tick. ;)

Altritter

Huh, that’s pretty bizarre. The most violent scene I can think of off the top of my head is the torture scene, so maybe that bumped it up? It was a bit of a jarring scene compared to the rest of the game.

Ladius

Yeah, this is the only reason I can think of. Really strange though, even that scene wasn’t particularly graphic.

I think there were a few frame downs when executing special attacks, then again I never installed my game so that may very well be the reason for it, it was not annoying or noticeable anyway if you didn’t care~ :P